A common factor in roof construction is the necessity of waterproofing thereof. Waterproofing is usually accomplished by application of a waterproof membrane. The membrane may be a built-up membrane of roofing paper and asphalt or bitumin, or it may be a continuous sheet of plastic resin material or of rubber or other synthetic elastomer. In a built-up membrane the asphalt or bitumin secures the membrane to the underlayment, which may be the roof deck or insulating panels on top of the roof deck. With plastic resin or elastomeric continuous membranes the membranes may be secured to the roof deck or other underlayment by means of a suitable adhesive, or by means of ballast placed on top of the membrane. It is important that no fastener penetrate the membrane, as this could lead to leakage and to tearing of the membrane.
The present invention is concerned with a roof construction utilizing a continuous synthetic rubber membrane. The membrane may be applied over a new roof deck, or over an existing roof deck and whatever membrane is already in place, and which may be a built-up roof.
Various structures are known in the prior patent art for securing a rubber or the like membrane to a roof without piercing the membrane. Such prior art includes West German Pat. No. 2,711,335 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,426,412; 4,057,095; and 4,221,028.